


The Summoning

by MonPetitTresor



Series: Raise Him Right [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Loki has a heart, Loki is a caring parent, Mage Sam, Paternal Loki, Post Iron Man 1, Pre Iron Man 2, Sad Sam, Seidr, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Young Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-28 17:52:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14454612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonPetitTresor/pseuds/MonPetitTresor
Summary: Loki of Asgard had not felt a summoning in a very, very long time. He’d thought the spells lost - the people who once worshiped him, a minor trickster god, long gone. Yet time hadn’t dulled his senses. Loki knew what it was that called to him as he walked through the forests near his home.It was the whim of a moment to decide to follow that summoning and see where it went. All a summoning could do was alert Loki that someone wanted him. It couldn’t force him there. That had always been up to the one being called. But Loki’s morning was slow, and the summoning was interesting. It held actual power to it. Not just the power given by a simple spell cast by a worshiper - this person was no worshiper. There was no faith behind the spell. There was, however, blood. Blood had been used in the spell, and it carried to it the kind of natural power that spoke of more than a simple Midgardian should possess.Loki reached out to his seidr and let it guide him through the secret paths of Yggdrasil that took him down to Midgard.When he arrives, what he finds isn't at all what he'd expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was brought about by my partner, who loves my FDEWB series (Sam and Tony as brothers of choice) and asked me for a series instead where Sam is adopted by Tony, and raised up with his as a father. Then my darling River encouraged this, helped me work out some things, and well, here we go.
> 
> This is very AU. I'm basically taking the SPN timeline and bumping it up years and years, to put young Sammy around at the time that Tony just became Iron Man. Keep that in mind - very AU!

There had once been a time when Asgard walked freely amongst the people of Midgard. When they went to them and were worshiped as _gods_. Altars had been built for them. Shrines formed in their name. Mortals had spoken their names with reverence and praise. To those select few that were deemed worthy, they received the blessing of the gods. Luck that was granted to them, or healing, or a boost to their magic.

Those humans had crafted ways to call the ones they worshiped. Those spells had mostly been lost with time, but one or two of them survived. A few diehard devotees kept record of those times, and though they weren’t used, the spells were passed down from teacher to student along with whispers of a time when great power had walked amongst them. The kind of power that those now could only dream of.

Loki of Asgard had not felt a summoning in a very, very long time. He’d thought the spells lost - the people who once worshiped him, a minor trickster god, long gone. Yet time hadn’t dulled his senses. Loki knew what it was that called to him as he walked through the forests near his home.

It was the whim of a moment to decide to follow that summoning and see where it went. All a summoning could do was alert Loki that someone wanted him. It couldn’t force him there. That had always been up to the one being called.

But Loki’s morning was slow, and the summoning was interesting. It held actual _power_ to it. Not just the power given by a simple spell cast by a worshiper - this person was no worshiper. There was no faith behind the spell. There was, however, _blood_. Blood had been used in the spell, and it carried to it the kind of natural power that spoke of more than a simple Midgardian should possess.

Loki reached out to his seidr and let it guide him through the secret paths of Yggdrasil that took him down to Midgard. He used the power form the spell to help mask his presence from Heimdall. There was no need for the all-seeing watcher to be aware of this.

Keeping himself masked, Loki landed in the clearing he was being called to and took a moment to observe who it was that was daring to call him.

What he saw had his lip curling. A _hunter_. That was a human hunter standing there by the remains of the spell. Hunters had existed the last time the Æsir came to the earth. They’d tried to hunt them, to take them out, and quickly found out that it wasn’t as easy as they’d hope it would be. It seemed that message, at least, hadn’t survived the passage of time.

It was tempting to simply leave. What need did he have to answer the call of a hunter?

Yet, as he looked, Loki caught sight of something that held his attention in place. Something which had him going still and narrowing his eyes.

There was seidr in the air around them that Loki had at first attributed to the spell itself and whatever blood this hunter had gotten to use it. But… it was more than that. The source of that blood wasn’t someone far away, the blood simply brought here. No, it was fresh, and as soon as Loki’s eyes landed on the small child hiding behind the hunter’s legs, he knew exactly who it came from.

Shock had his eyebrows shooting up. This was the source of the seidr he felt? This small little human child? He couldn’t have been more than a few Midgardian years old! Loki wasn’t the best judge of that, yet he placed the small one as easily under ten. Though, a closer look revealed that perhaps that wasn’t accurate. The boy showed signs of hunger in his slender limbs and the slight sharpness to a face that should’ve been rounder with baby fat. This was a child who had been hungry, plenty, and their body was showing the wear of it.

Loki’s expression hardened. There were some steadfast rules in life that Loki wouldn’t ever deviate from, no matter what. The proper care of children was one of them. He had a soft spot for the little ones. Especially after having his own ripped away from him the way he had.

Invisibly, Loki vanished from where he’d been watching the two, and he reappeared within the confines of the summoning circle in a show of crackling green light he hoped terrified the hunter a little.

The child, he was pleased to see, only started for a moment before his eyes lit up as they ran over Loki. He didn’t look afraid. He looked… _interested._ Curious. It was a look that Loki himself had worn many a time.

A small tilt of the head allowed Loki to hide the wink he sent to the child. To his pleasure, the boy blinked a few times in surprise and then flashed him a shy, barely-there smile.

Loki turned his gaze back to the hunter who was glaring at him, and he cocked an eyebrow, adopting his most bored expression. “Oh, look – a hunter and his child. You’re starting them quite young these days, are you?”

The hunter was smart enough to have a weapon in his hand – a gun – but stupid enough to not have something capable of harming Loki. He had no idea what he had gotten himself into here. “You’re Loki?” The man growled at him.

Oh, really now, this was what he had to deal with? Loki rolled his eyes, though he held in his sigh. “Seeing as how you used _my_ summoning, I’d say that, yes, that’s a rather safe assumption. Though it tells me nothing about who you are, or to what purpose you’ve brought me here tonight.”

“I’m John,” the hunter said gruffly. “And I wanna make a deal.”

“Do you now?” It was no less than Loki had expected. Why else summon him? Still, he had to admit he was curious what it was a hunter would want from him, aside from trying to kill him, that is. Loki tipped his head to the side and studied John’s face, clasping his hands behind his back as he did. This had just become less boring. “And what boon is it you wish to ask of me, John Winchester?”

If the hunter was surprised by Loki’s knowledge of his last name, he didn’t show it. He just squared his shoulders and planted his feet in the posture of warriors everywhere that said clearer than words that he was preparing to do battle. “Something killed my wife, an it did somethin’ to my boy. I want a way to stop it, an to fix whatever it did.”

Loki gave a low hum. This was getting more and more interesting. “That’s quite a steep boon you ask for. Tell me, John Winchester, why should I do this? What would I receive in return?”

“Anything.”

Now that had Loki’s eyebrows going up. It was the only outward sign of surprise that he allowed. Inside, he was reeling a little. So far, while a bit dumb, John hadn’t been stupid. But this? This was beyond stupid. No one asked for a boon of any being without having a firm price set in mind. Especially not when dealing with the so-called god of mischief and lies. Yet here this hunter stood, offering Loki _anything_.

“And if I said your life?” Loki asked curiously.

The boy flinched at that, eyes flickering up to his father and then back to Loki. John simply stood still. “So long as you kill that sonofabitch and fix whatever he did to Sammy, fine.”

 _Interesting_. “What if I said I wanted your son’s?”

That brought fire to John’s eyes. He moved a half step in front of his son. “I’m not letting you kill my boy.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t kill him.” Loki waved a hand dismissively through the air. He had the hunter now. _Never show weakness_. “Especially not with the power running through his veins. He has the potential to be quite the mage one day. I am not a hunter, to quickly kill without discretion. I would simply take him for my own, to do with as I pleased. What say you then, hunter?”

The words had been meant as a taunt. A way to wind this hunter up even more. Loki had expected it to anger the man, to get him to trip over himself and allow Loki to see a bit more of what was going on here. Something told him there was quite a story.

He was expecting that, and more, and yet found himself completely stunned when the hunter looked down at his boy for a long, long moment, and then murmured a soft “I’m sorry” before looking back up at Loki. “So long as you prove to me you got something that can kill that bastard that got my wife, I’d say you got a deal.”

Rage cut through Loki in a sharp, hot flash. The presence of the boy – his _Sammy_ – was the only thing that kept Loki from unleashing all that rage onto John Winchester. But

Then Loki caught sight of the sadness in this young one’s eyes, the pain, but not an ounce of disbelief or doubt. Surprised though the child might be, he didn’t have even a moment of doubt or protestation, as if the idea of this was surprising but not _shocking_. What kind of life had this young one led that he could so readily accept the idea that his father was willing to trade him away for information?

Any chances of remaining calm vanished in that instant. Sharp green eyes shot back up to the hunter, and for the first time that night John Winchester seemed truly afraid of what he saw. _Good_. Loki waved a hand and used a flash of seidr to send the man flying backward to crash into the nearest tree. There, Loki held him, keeping him pinned with just a _thought_. Then he stepped out of the protective circle.

The boy took a step back and shifted into a defensive posture that was clearly instinctive. He’d had some warrior training, then. Still, instinctive though it might’ve been, it was all lost under shock when Loki smoothly moved to squat down right in front of him. With the child’s smaller size and Loki’s height, it put them close to eye to eye. This close, the seidr inside the boy was much clearer, as well as something else that was working to block it. A dark presence that made Loki want to wrinkle his nose in disgust. He knew that smell. Only the human demons carried a scent like that. How had their touch gotten onto this young child?

“Hello, little one.” Loki made sure his voice was gentler; something meant to soothe. It was a tone so few had heard from him. It was the one he reserved for his own children when nightmares had hit, or when something had scared them. “I mean you no harm this night, you have my word on that.”

The child tilted his head just a bit in mimicry of Loki’s earlier watchfulness. Hazel eyes took in every feature on Loki’s face as if searching for the lie. The sharpness in those eyes said that this was one who was well used to searching for those little things and likely often finding them. “You’re really Loki?”

Loki’s lips twitched up into a small smile. “I am. And you are… Sammy.”

“Sam.” There was a hint of annoyance in there. A child seeking to be viewed as more than that.

This time, Loki held in his smile, and he nodded gravely. “Samuel.”

That got him a grimace followed by a look of resignation. Seconds after that, the boy was watching him again, sharp and careful. It reminded Loki far too much of a wounded beast backed into a corner, waiting for the final blow they were sure was coming, ready to fight or flee until their last breath. It was a look no child should possess. Training him to be a warrior, _that_ Loki could understand. The world was dangerous. Midgard alone held its dangerous creatures. Humans should prepare themselves for it. But that should be all it was – _training_. This young one held _practical experience_ of a kind that had already left its scars on him. Likely both mental and physical.

Samuel broke through Loki’s thoughts when he abruptly asked: “What’re you gonna do with me?”

“I have been debating that very question myself, little one,” Loki admitted. He folded his arms on his knees and rested them there while he watched Samuel’s face. There was too much intelligence there to bother with a polite lie. This one would see right through it. Instead, Loki did what he so rarely did with people, and he opted to go with the truth.

Darkness flowed into Samuel’s eyes. Shadows creeping up from those places deep inside where darker memories go, breaking free in that moment to dance in the back of the child’s eyes. “You said you don’t wanna kill me. Why do you want me?”

 _Oh, my sweet child_. It took everything Loki had not to reach out and gather the boy to him. He might’ve dared before, but not now. Not after this. Sorrow softened Loki’s eyes even as the rage inside him grew even brighter. He was grateful in that moment that he’d gagged John Winchester as well as binding him to the tree. If he had to listen to one word that man said right now, he might kill him, and he doubted that Samuel would want to see something like that. “I mean you no harm, little one, or any other child.”

Samuel blinked a few times, and those dark shadows receded. Then, with one heavy blink, they were gone, and the boy was nodding at him. “I helped Dad research for you. Some of the texts called you a protector of children.”

That was one title that Loki hadn’t realized he’d gained here on Midgard. It made him smile to think of it. Children had always held a soft spot for him when he’d dealt with the human worshippers of old. They were more likely to receive what requests they made, for theirs were usually made with a more pure, innocent heart. “I have little patience for those who would harm children,” Loki said agreeably. “I will not harm you. However, I do need to figure out what to do with you. I’ll admit, I’m quite loathe to leave you here, Samuel.”

“It’s… it’s not that bad.”

One eyebrow arched up towards Loki’s hairline. “I have not lied to you yet, Samuel. Do me the courtesy of doing the same.”

A flush built in the child’s cheeks. He dropped his eyes down and away and drew his shoulders up. Ah, not just a simple lie, then. Likely it was one that he attempted to tell himself as well to make the life he led easier.

Abruptly, Loki knew what he wanted to do here. There was no way he could leave such a bright, wounded child in the care of a hunter who would just as soon use him as a bargaining chip. It didn’t matter that Loki had been the one to suggest taking the boy – he had fully expected the father to grow angry over it. He hadn’t expected him to accept. That was on John Winchester. It only served him right that Loki took him up on it. He would take the boy, this budding little mage, and find him somewhere that he would be able to be raised safe and right.

Loki gave Samuel one last smile. “Wait here a moment, little one. Allow me to deal with your father, and then I believe we shall retire from this place. We have much to discuss, you and I.”

“You’re… you’re taking me away?” Samuel asked him. He cast a look to where John was still struggling against the invisible bonds holding him, and there was a hint of grief, the indecision on his face evident.

“I am.” Loki wouldn’t lie about that. On this, he was going to make especially sure that he was clear. “Your father bartered you away with words and magic. By agreeing to our deal, he made you mine, and by using your blood in the spell, he bound you to me. You are mine now to care for, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, Samuel.”

Surprisingly, that seemed to ease some of the fear. Why, Loki wasn’t quite sure, but this child appeared to be continuously surprising him tonight.

“Are you going to hurt my Dad?”

Ah, well now, that was a bit trickier to answer. Loki very much _wanted_ to hurt the father. The kind of rage he felt needed an outlet and John Winchester was a most deserving one.

Samuel must’ve seen something of that on Loki’s face. He hurried to speak, words almost tripping over one another, and his hands were twisting together in front of him. “It’s just that, I know… I know you’re mad at him, but he’s my… he’s my _Dad._ An this thing that killed my Mom, it’s important that he stop it, you know? Plus Dean… my brother Dean… he’s missing. He went missing on a hunt. An Dad needs to find him. If you, if you hurt him, there won’t be anybody to find Dean, and he could be alone out there or _hurt_ , and just, please Mr. Loki, please don’t hurt him.”

That urge was back to gather Samuel to him and cradle the child close in his arms. _Oh, my sweet little one. How they have damaged you_. Loki held himself back from hugging the child, but he couldn’t stop from reaching up to brush a bit of that shaggy brown hair back from his face, revealing the eyes that had been hidden slightly. “Peace, child,” Loki murmured to him. “I will not cause him any harm that will prevent him from finding your brother.”

Relief had Samuel’s whole body slumping. “Thank you. _Thank you_.”

“Is that what you would ask for this night, Samuel?” Loki asked curiously. “Had I offered my deal to you, your life in exchange for a boon, is that what you would’ve asked for? The safety of your brother?”

Samuel’s eyes went wide. He didn’t even hesitate to nod. “Yeah.”

It was the decision of a moment for Loki, and yet the simplest decision he’d made all night long. He held out one long-fingered hand towards the boy and smirked at him. “I accept your offer, Samuel Winchester.”

The hope that cautiously lit Samuel’s eyes was a tad bit heartbreaking. “Really?”

“Indeed.” Loki’s smile grew, and he continued to hold his hand there. “Your father and I have a verbal contract, but I am bound to you by the blood of the spell, and that gives my word more power. I will do what I can to find your brother and make him safe before I leave this realm.”

The speed with which Samuel reached for Loki’s hand spoke quite a bit about his fear for his brother. The two touched, and Loki’s seidr leapt, pushing out from him and in towards the bright seidr locked tight down inside the child. It was easy for Loki to feel now what that binding was, and why the boy carried the foul scent of demons. There was a taint of them deep down inside of him. Just a little, a few drops that held within it the power of _blood magic_. Someone had fed this boy blood? Long ago, judging by the age of it.

It was no matter. None of it stood a chance against the power of Loki’s seidr washing through the boy’s body. In that instant, Loki washed away the demon blood, cleansing Samuel’s soul, and he placed a mark of his own. One deep down inside, upon the boy’s soul, and another on the inside of his wrist. Together, the two would mark him as taken by Loki, and under his protection.

When Loki drew his hand back, he smiled to see the flash of seidr behind Samuel’s eyes. His power was his own now, and it was rejoicing at being free.

“W-What did you do?” Samuel asked him, just slightly shaky.

“I shall explain in a moment, my little one. Allow me first to deal with your father, and then I shall take us away to someplace I can properly answer your questions.”

Any signs of kindness or compassion melted away the instant that Loki rose to his feet and turned to once more face John Winchester. The rage that Loki had held in before was now visibly evident in the hard lines of his face and the furious seidr that he knew would be glowing in his eyes.

The hunter at least had the sense to go still as Loki stalked over to him. Like terrified prey, he held himself completely still in front of the predator they both knew was capable of tearing him apart without even moving a muscle. “You are quite lucky your son has the compassion that he does,” Loki told him. He stopped in front of John and wove a quick shield to keep Samuel from being able to hear anything they said to one another. This was not a conversation the child needed to be a part of. Once that was done, Loki focused on John again and let his expression harden all the more. “It is only through his kind heart that you will survive this night.”

John’s eyes went wide in brief fear and then narrowed down on Loki. A mere thought banished the gag – he wanted to hear what this excuse for a human had to say – and it took only a second for John to realize it. “We had a deal, you an me.”

“We had the start of a verbal contract,” Loki corrected him. He let his grin sharpen into his most dangerous one; the one that would’ve had even Thor taking a step back and reevaluating. “I was under no obligation to answer anything you demanded of me, _hunter_. Your son, however… you should do more research before you cast your spells. By putting your son’s blood into the spell, you bound me to answer _him_.” True, Loki didn’t _have_ to, but the hunter didn’t need to know that.

The hunter looked like he’d been slapped, mouth dropping open and eyes going wide, only for him to suddenly start swearing softly.

A dark chuckle slipped from Loki. “Have no fear, _mortal_. Unlike you, I have honor. Your son’s only requests were your safety and the safety of your other child. The one who is missing, yes?”

Only because Loki had the spell ready was he able to skim over the surface thoughts of John Winchester. At the mention of his eldest, it was easy for Loki to see what was there. To see where exactly Dean Winchester was.

The rage he’d felt before only grew. Dean Winchester was not _lost_ , as this pathetic excuse for a human had told his youngest. Loki’s lip curled up into a sneer. “Oh, you are quite lucky for your son’s protection at this moment, John Winchester. I would happily eviscerate you here against this tree, slowly, so that you might feel every inch of what I do to you. I would take my time with you and make sure that you truly understood the gravity  of your crimes against these children.”

Abruptly, Loki drew back. His expression cooled a little until it was the cold detachment he had learned in the Halls of Asgard. “Luckily, neither child is of your concern any longer. I’ve seen where your oldest resides, and I assure you, it is a much better home than any that you would attempt to provide for him. Your youngest is coming with me. You forfeit his life the instant you agreed to our deal. I will take him with me, and I will make sure your other son is safe, and then you had best hope that you and I never meet again because I assure you I will not be so lenient a second time. The promise I’ve made to your son covers only this meeting. Any future association between us…”

He left that sentence hanging, the threat implicit.

“You said you’d help me stop the thing that killed my wife,” John pointed out, confident at least in his safety this night.

Loki stared at him for one moment. It was simple to summon a blade to his hand; one that was warded and enchanted to take out almost anything. So long as archangels hadn’t decided to descend to earth to kill this man’s wife, this blade would do the job. Loki took great joy in lifting the blade and slamming it into the trunk of the tree right next to John’s head. The way the man flinched was _quite_ satisfying. Leaning in, Loki put their faces just inches apart, and he kept his hand on the hilt of the knife. “The terms of our deal are met, John Winchester. Do not come after your sons, and pray that you never have to see me again.”

There was no warning before Loki and Samuel both vanished. The remnants of the spell disappeared with them, as did the bindings holding John to the tree. Only the knife remained; the only sign that the trickster god had ever been there.

John Winchester rose slowly to his feet and stared for a long moment at the knife protruding from the tree. He’d given up everything to get this weapon – to avenge his wife. His life, his home, and now his children. There was no doubt in John’s mind that Loki’s threat had been genuine. John wouldn’t survive another meeting with him. And it sounded like he was going to go extend that protection to Dean as well. John was well and truly alone now.

He’d sought revenge for so long. A way to take out the thing that killed his wife. He’d walked away from everyone and everything, and distanced himself from it all. Those choices had finally come back to haunt him. John would get his revenge, but he’d find that it was a cold bed he’d made for himself when he was finally forced to lie in it. Though he might kill the thing that killed his wife, there was nothing that was waiting for him on the other side.

He was alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Getting them away from the clearing was easy. As was finding them a place to rest for a while. Loki easily found a hotel nearby that he took them to. Finding an empty room was just as simple. After that, a spell kept anyone from coming near the room itself, and a few wards protected them. Once that was taken care of, Loki smiled down at the nervous looking boy with him. The tell-tale signs of exhaustion were showing clearly on Samuel. The night had been long, and the cleansing that Loki had done would’ve exhausted him all the more.

Yet, teleportation seemed to have fascinated the boy if the way he was looking around them was any judge. His eyes were wide as they looked all around in wonder. “ _ Wow _ .”

Loki smothered a smile at the awe Samuel showed. “You should rest. It has been a long night, and we will have much to talk about come morning.”

“You’ll… you’ll still be here?”

There was a vulnerability in those words. One that Loki was sure would’ve been hidden were the boy to have more strength. As it was, he was young, and he was tired, and tonight had been traumatic for him. His defenses were down and all Loki could see as he looked at him was a tired little boy. “I will be here,” he said gently. “I’ve taken you in, Samuel. I will not simply abandon you.”

Clear as day in Samuel’s eyes was the thought that so many others had abandoned him. He didn’t voice those thoughts, though. He just nodded.

Loki closed his eyes against the ache he knew would be in them. He wanted to go back and show John Winchester what Loki thought of those that would harm a child this way. Instead, he stayed where he was, and he kept his voice even as he said “Go on, little one. There is a bedroom through there with a bathroom as well. Take care of your needs and rest. Come morning, you shall find me here waiting, I promise.”

He held it together as Samuel finally made his way into the small bedroom of this hotel room. Only when the door was shut – and a lock clearly sounded through the room – before he let his cold mask melt away.

What had been done to this boy? What had happened to him in his short life that he looked for the worst in each situation? He was constantly preparing himself for the blow he was so sure was coming. To see that had Loki wanting to hurt people at the same time that he wanted to bring the boy close and hold him tight.

Blowing out a breath, Loki brought a hand up to pinch at his nose, trying to combat the headache. Right now was not the time to rant and rage. That could happen later, once he was back home. Perhaps he’d spar with Thor. It’d be the perfect opportunity to work out some of this anger on a target that wouldn’t die from it. For now, Loki needed to keep it together and try to figure out what he was going to do with the small child now in his care.

As much as Loki wished he could take Samuel with him, Asgard was no place for a human child, and no child of Loki’s. The instant their connection was felt, it would put the boy at risk. Loki refused to do that. He’d already had his other children snatched cruelly away from him. He would not allow the same to happen to Samuel. Who knew where he would end up then. Loki had taken him to  _ save _ him, not to put him in more harm’s way.

He needed a human to watch over him. Someone who would be able to keep Samuel safe, protect him from the creatures that so few in this human world seemed to even know about, and who would be able to encourage the sharp, bright mind inside. Someone who wouldn’t grow angry or scared of a child who was going to start showing the kind of power that would be released now that Loki had purged the demonic taint from him.

Loki had promised Samuel would be taken care of, and that Dean would be safe, and those were promises he would deliver on.

Summoning up a clone to keep watch here at the hotel, Loki once more opened himself up to the secret paths of the realms around him, and he stepped forward, letting them carry him through Midgard.

* * *

It took almost no time at all to find Dean Winchester. Less time to ascertain the boy’s physical and mental health. He was happy here in this home that he had found. A home that had made a place for him to fit in. The man who ran the ranch, Sonny, was quite taken with young Dean Winchester and had already grown to care for him like one of his own. As for Dean… there was grief, yes, and a want for his little brother, but also a yearning to  _ stay _ . To be  _ happy _ .

Loki made a mental note of Dean Winchester’s location. It was something he could give to Samuel later. Perhaps the two could write one another. There was no need for them not to be in contact.

Before he left, Loki made sure to ward the property. It was the best way that he could make sure that Dean would be safe. He also placed a protective spell over the boy himself. It would alert Loki were anything to happen to him. Hopefully, it would grant him enough time to come and help him. While Loki had only promised Samuel he’d make sure that Dean was safe  _ now _ , it wouldn’t hurt to make sure he stayed that way for as long as possible.

After that, it was time to try and find the best home that Loki could for his newest child.

Loki had a few specifications in mind for finding the one who would care for the boy that Loki now considered his own. Keeping Samuel on Midgard was the best way to protect him; Odin wouldn’t come down here to take a child of Midgard from a family. If Samuel were here, he’d be protected, and Loki would be able to come and visit him and make sure that he was growing up well.

Family after family was inspected and then discard. Loki traveled all over the realm in an effort to find someone who might be able to take his boy in. He used the human internet – it only took a small amount of time studying these humans to begin to understand how their technology worked. The ways that they’d managed to use their science to mimic what magic could so easily do was astounding.

It was through their  _ internet _ that Loki finally found what he thought might be a suitable candidate.

Anthony Stark.

Loki hummed to himself as he looked through the information on the man. He was single, it appeared, which was probably best. Considering Samuel’s past seemed to center around getting revenge for a mother who had been murdered, introducing him into a home with a ready-made mother would’ve likely been hard for him. Anthony was also rich – a prince of this realm – and there was a part of Loki that approved wholeheartedly of that. Any child of his should be raised as was befitting the child of a prince.

Money and status meant that Anthony would be able to protect Samuel from whatever came his way. As did this ‘Iron Man’ persona the mortal took on. Yes, he looked  _ quite _ adept at protection. He would make sure that Samuel grew up safe. And that suit of his, well, surely someone who flew through the air would have no issue with things that were outside the norm?

There was only one way to be sure. Loki gathered seidr to him and took the step that brought him from one place to the next.

He landed on silent feet inside the home of Anthony Stark. It was a beautiful home indeed compared to most Midgardian dwellings. The view alone was spectacular. The windows of the sitting room looked out over the ocean. Loki imagined Samuel would quite enjoy that.

He was surprised when panels slid down over the windows of the building, and the light was abruptly cut off. At the same time, a voice loudly announced “Anomaly detected on the main floor. Containment has been activated.”

Despite himself, Loki was a bit impressed. Had something in the house actually detected his presence? Just to be sure, he sent out a small flare of seidr. Almost instantly lights around him begin to flash. Loki stood there with his eyebrows up, most definitely impressed now. Anthony Stark had something capable of detecting  _ seidr _ . That was no small feat.

Choosing him as protector was looking to be a better and better choice.

Loki debated hiding for a moment longer just to see what would happen. But he only had so long, and he’d spent most of the night searching already. Soon enough Samuel would be waking, and Loki didn’t want to have to leave the clone to deal with the boy. He’d promised to be there and be there he would. That meant that he needed to move things along. Likely, it would take a while to explain to this Midgardian what was going on, and to make sure that he was truly as good a choice as he’d shown himself to be so far.

The alarms and sensors changed when Loki stopped masking his presence. Notably, there was the addition of weapons that came from the floors and the walls, each and every one of them trained on Loki. “State your name and business,” a male voice said, firm and steady.

Interesting. Was this Anthony? Or someone else inside his home? It didn’t sound like the voice from the videos Loki had seen. Sharp eyes ran around the room trying to find the source. At the same time, he lifted his chin and spoke with all the presence he had learned to command at his mother’s knee. “I am Prince Loki, of Asgard, and I mean you no harm.”

A whisper of movement preceded the sound of something large moving, and a great many pieces of metal. Loki turned in time to see the Iron Man suit come up from the floor and come to a landing only a few feet from him. Both hands were lifted his way, with the palms glowing a bright blue. “Funny thing, my  _ Prince _ , but seeing as you somehow managed to fool JARVIS enough to get into the middle of my house before he saw you, I’m not up for believing that.”

Now,  _ this _ was the voice that Loki had heard in the videos. The other must belong to this JARVIS that Anthony spoke of.

Loki crossed his arms behind his back and clasped one wrist with the opposite hand. A small smile ghosted across his lips. “My apologies, Anthony Stark. I wasn’t aware that Midgardians held anything in this realm capable of detecting my seidr.”

“What is seidr?”

A small twist curled Loki’s lips. He recognized the scorn in that word even coming through the speakers of that metal suit. It was a tone he was far too used to. There were very few in Asgard who accepted or approved of the use of seidr. Loki had hoped for more with Anthony. If he were to leave Samuel here, he needed someone who would be accepting of his skills, not derisive.

Perhaps it was simply that Anthony did not understand. Magic, after all, seemed nowhere near as prevalent on Midgard as it once was. “Seidr is what you humans refer to as magic.”

The gloves of the suit stopped glowing abruptly. Then, to Loki’s surprise, the hands lowered down, and the mask snapped up to reveal a face inside. In there was the man that Loki had seen in videos and on the screens of the human technology. Only, he was usually smiling at the cameras, not staring incredulously as he was doing now. “There are so many things wrong with whatever it is you’re saying, I can’t even begin to pick at it. Are you insane? JARVIS, is he insane?”

“I cannot be sure, Sir, as I do not possess the medical degree necessary to begin to hazard a guess,” answered the same male voice that had spoken during Loki’s arrival. The one that Anthony had referred to as JARVIS.

Anthony shook his head and gave Loki a look of exasperation. “Right. Well, buddy, fun as this all has been, I think it’s about time we call someone out here to come pick you up…”

“No,” Loki cut in, just a bit sharper than he’d intended. If only he’d had more time, he could’ve done this better. Planned accordingly. Instead, he was left trying to scramble to try and figure out some way to make this mortal human understand care. He was the only true option that Loki had come across in all of his research, and there was precious little time to try and find any sort of alternative. “I have no time for foolish games. I am not insane, Anthony Stark. I am in full control of my mental facilities. At least inasmuch as any other being my age can be. I am Loki, of Asgard, a realm outside of your own, and I’ve come to speak with you.

“You expect me to believe that you’re actually from another  _ realm _ ? An that you can do  _ magic _ ?” Anthony shook his head at that. “Right. Okay. That’s a whole bucket of crazy I’m not sure I even want to touch. But I gotta confess, I’m still not getting why you’re  _ here _ .”

Now came the most important part. Loki knew he could convince Anthony of who he was easy enough. All it would take was a bit of magic and a few answers to his questions. Most of those would come as Loki told his story, though. Samuel was what was important here, and Loki was running on limited time. He needed to get Samuel taken care of before Odin or Frigga noticed just how long Loki had been gone and began to look for him.

“I came to you, Anthony Stark, because I believe you are the only human on Midgard worthy of offering the help I need,” Loki said honestly.

He watched as Anthony actually  _ snorted _ at him. “Go figure,” the human murmured. Then he looked up at Loki again an cocked an eyebrow in an insolent, just slightly angry expression. “What is it you want, then? Money? The suit? Cause I might be inclined to give you one, but you’re sure as hell not getting the other.”

“I have no desire to have your suit, nor your money.” Neither one was something that Loki needed. “What I need is something far more important.”

“Yeah? An what’s that, Rock of Ages?”

Loki ignored the nickname and chose instead to meet Anthony’s eyes directly. “Protection, for my son.”

That sure got the human’s attention quickly. Though most might not have seen it, the way that Anthony’s eyes went sharp and calculating was clear to Loki. Just the mention of a child was enough to have Anthony paying him much more attention now. It made him look a bit dangerous, and Loki found himself pleased with the choice he’d made.

To his surprise, the suit opened up, and Anthony Stark stepped out from within his metal protection. JARVIS called out a protesting “Sir!” that Anthony ignored.

The mortal stepped away from his suit and walked over to the side of the room that held a small bar. “Something tells me I’m gonna need a drink for this conversation,” Anthony said dryly. He went behind the bar and proceeded to bring up two glasses as well as a bottle of something dark. Scotch, it looked to be. Loki waited patiently as two glasses were poured. Anthony lifted one his way and tilted it a little in question. “Drink?”

Loki knew well the benefits of a drink shared between two beings. It was often used in negotiation talks of varying importance. This was going to be one of the most important discussions that Loki had; if sharing a drink with the human set him at ease, it was the least that Loki could do.

To his further credit, Anthony did not flinch when Loki came forward, nor when their fingers brushed as Loki took the drink from him. Instead, Anthony picked up his own glass and leaned back against the counter behind him. It neatly kept the bar between them. “So,” Anthony said, going for casual. He took a sip from his glass. “Your kid?”

Loki nodded and took a sip of his own.  _ Not bad _ . “Indeed. He is a unique child, and human, and as such is in need of a human home for him to grow up in.”

Most of that seemed to hold Anthony’s attention, yet it was the last part that clearly got to him the most. His eyes went wide as the words sank in. He froze with his glass halfway up to his mouth. “Wait, wait…  _ grow up in _ ??”

“He is not like other humans,” Loki explained patiently. It took effort to get his voice under control and keep the rage from earlier from leaking in. “Until tonight, he grew up in a family of hunters. Humans who fight the creatures that the rest of your world likes to pretend do not exist. If I have read him right, he has not had the easiest of lives. He’s been raised to be a warrior, with little care for his physical or mental health. He is cautious and slow to trust, and clearly expects the worst from the adults around him.”

That dangerous light in Anthony’s eyes only grew sharper. “Yeah? And where were you while your son went through all this?” There was clear accusation dripping from each word. It only served to further impress upon Loki that this man was a good choice.

Truth or lie? The lie would be easier, but the truth would likely come out within a single conversation between Anthony and Samuel. “I have only taken Samuel on as my own this very night. He is not my child by blood, but by  _ choice _ .” Before Anthony could rant on that, Loki continued on, his tone sharpening. “His father summoned me tonight to demand assistance in finding that which killed his wife. In the process, he bargained away his son’s life to me in exchange for a blade capable of killing what I believe is a demon.”

“Jesus fuck,” Anthony breathed out. His eyebrows were climbing up towards his hairline, and his eyes had gone even wider. “I kind of want to keep believing you’re insane, but… fuck, this is sounding less and less like crazy talk.”

“I assure you, I have not lied.”

“So you’re telling me you’re a… some sort of, what, alien prince? A demigod?” At Loki’s shrug – either option would work, really – Anthony blew out a heavy breath. “ _ Fuck _ .”

Anthony’s disbelief could be dealt with later. Loki needed to finish this, soon. “I understand your disbelief, and I apologize for thrusting this all on you, but this is a matter of urgency. I will be called home soon, and I cannot bring a mortal back to Asgard with me. Samuel needs a home. He needs somewhere that he will be safe from the kind of creatures that might hunt for a mage of his power. I swore to him I would provide protection.”

“And you thought of  _ me _ ?”

Loki brought his glass up for another drink. It worked neatly to hide his smile behind. The absolutely horrified tone of Anthony’s voice was amusing. “You appear to be the best option, yes.”

“I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people that would argue with you. Hell, they’d argue about leaving me in charge of a  _ plant _ , let alone another human!”

“You have the money and power to keep Samuel protected from those that might come after him,” Loki pointed out. “I also assumed that your status as Iron Man would make you more open to the boy’s… uniqueness. He is a mage – of that, there is no doubt. Young and untrained, yes, but born with the power to wield seidr already inside him. He needs a home, and someone capable of understanding that which makes him different without punishing him for it.”

There was a long moment of quiet where Anthony stared at Loki as if trying to look straight through him. It was a disconcerting look to have turned his way. Loki kept still, kept his masks in place, and yet he felt as if he were laid bare at that moment. As if Anthony – this tiny little human – saw far more in Loki in that span than many others had in a lifetime.

Abruptly, Anthony lifted his glass and drained it completely. “All right,” he said, setting his glass down on the bar. “Say I believe this. Say I actually believe that you’re some sort of alien or whatever, and this kid here is in danger.” The way his eyes hardened suggested that he was already well on his way to believing that. Loki stood and watched as Anthony straightened from the counter and drew himself up to his full, albeit short, height. There was a presence around him at that moment that allowed Loki to see the true man who would go out and wear his armor to take down his enemies. “I want details. Who he is, where he came from, what exactly is after him. And I want to talk to him.”

“Of course,” Loki demurred.

Anthony took a step forward and lifted a hand to point one finger threateningly at Loki. “Listen up here, Princess. I’m warning you right now – I hear one thing I don’t like, one thing that makes me not trust you, one tiny little lie, you better believe I’m putting on that suit and having JARVIS call in SHIELD on your ass. And if I find out you actually went out and stole some boy from his family? There won’t be any corner of the earth you can hide on.”

A smile slowly curled its way over Loki’s lips. “I would expect nothing less.”

Yes, Loki  _ had _ made the right choice. This feisty, fierce human would be a perfect protector for Samuel. Now all Loki needed to do was convince  _ him _ of that.


	3. Chapter 3

Samuel woke with the sun. If it weren’t for Loki’s seidr, he might not have sensed the boy rise, not even with his rather enhanced other senses. He’d always had exceptional hearing and vision. Yet Samuel’s moves were whisper-soft. What that spelled out to Loki wasn’t all that reassuring. It seemed like every passing moment with Samuel only served to reaffirm Loki’s decision to take him. The child deserved much better than what life had already granted him.

By the time Samuel finished with the bathroom and made his cautious way out towards Loki, the trickster was seated at the table with a cup of tea and a plate of breakfast the hotel had brought up. Really, Midgardians only seemed to get more and more inventive as time went on. Loki had been astounded by plenty of things during his visits to this realm – which were far more frequent than either of his parents would approve of, and would continue to be so – but sometimes he had to admit he dearly enjoyed the way that food continued to progress. These pastries were delicious.

The door to the bedroom opened quietly. Loki looked up and made sure that he was smiling when Samuel caught sight of him. The surprise in those too-big eyes was sad to see, yet not unexpected. What reason would Samuel have to trust Loki to his word after one night, when his life had so far taught him to believe no one? No one except his brother, Loki would bet.

“Come.” Loki let his smile grow and gestured to the seat across from him at the table. “I ordered breakfast through room service. It’s quite tasty, I assure you. Come help yourself.”

There was a brief hesitation on Samuel’s part. Then he pushed away from the door, hunger or curiosity, or both, winning out over his nerves. “You ordered breakfast?”

“We need to eat, do we not?”

Samuel sank down into the seat that Loki had gestured him to. He didn’t move to reach for the food, not until Loki made another gesture at the plate to indicate that he should help himself. Even then, he only took one pastry, and he nibbled at it. Loki hoped that this was just because of nerves; perhaps the boy was worried about what might be coming with the day, and it made him less than hungry. That was a far better option than any others Loki’s mind conjured up.

So far, Loki had stuck to honesty with this little warrior here, and it had gotten him quite further than one would expect. He’d decided at some point during the night that he was going to continue along in that vein. Samuel deserved honesty from at least one person in his life. With that in mind, Loki rested his elbows on the table, cup in front of his mouth, and fixed his focus on Samuel. “I believe I found a situation to our problem last night.”

The boy just barely kept from fumbling his pastry right out of his hands. He kept a hold on it somehow. His soft “Yeah?” was hesitant and yet bracing at the same time. It was clear he was waiting for what he was sure was going to be bad news.

 _Damn you to Hel, John Winchester, for the damage you’ve done to this child_. Loki kept that thought locked away inside and made sure it didn’t darken his smile. “Indeed. Much though I may wish to have you wish me, Asgard is no place for a human child. The Allfather would never approve of your presence. Nor would he approve of my taking a permanent residence here on Midgard.”

“Oh,” Sam said softly. He set the pasty back down on the plate and then lifted his chin. It had his hair finally sliding back from his face and giving Loki a clear view. There was determination in the set of his jaw and the way he made himself meet Loki’s stare. “So I’m going back.”

The “No!” Loki gave was sharp enough that it had Samuel flinching. Mentally cursing himself, Loki took a deep breath and forcibly gentled his tone. “No, child. We made a deal, you and I, as did your father and I. You will not be going back there.”

Speaking of their deal also worked to remind Samuel of what it was _he’d_ asked for. Every bit of him perked up with pure excitement. His eyes were wide and positively begging as he said: “Did you find Dean?”

Loki smiled and dipped his head. “I did indeed. Your brother is safe, Samuel.” For one second Loki hesitated. This was going to hurt, he knew. There was no true way to soften that blow. John Winchester had lied, and finding that out would hurt Samuel. But he had the right to know where his brother was. “Your brother was not lost on a hunt. He was arrested, it would seem, and sent to what I believe was called a… boys’ home.”

Seeing the heartache that flashed through Samuel’s eyes was devastating. Worse was the way the child slumped down in his seat. “Oh.”

There wasn’t much that Loki could do here to reassure him. Perhaps he could offer him some comfort, though. Knowledge of his brother’s safety. “The man there, Sonny, is quite taken with young Dean. He has offered him a home there with him. Should John stay away, it is where Dean will stay, and I do believe he will be happy there. Just as I believe that you will be happy where I am taking you.”

It was clear there were countless questions that Samuel had. Things that he wanted to know. Yet he held those other ones back and focused on what was the most important. “Where _are_ you taking me?”

“As I said, I cannot take you to Asgard with me, though you are mine now. Instead, I have found a human who I believe is capable of giving you the home and life you deserve. He is someone who has the wealth and means to care for you properly, and the open mind capable of understanding someone with your gifts.”

“What gifts?”

This was a part of the conversation that Loki hadn’t been sure he was going to have yet with Samuel. Nevertheless, it was better that he say something now and get the child used to the idea. Loki lowered his cup to the table and leaned his weight forward onto his arms. “Your father asked me last night to clear from your system whatever had been done to you. When we shook hands, my seidr – my magic – felt the presence of demon blood inside of you. Not your own, little one.” He hurried to add that on when Samuel clearly started to panic. “You are not a demon. All it means is that you were given at least a few drops at some point. Why, I cannot be sure. But I can tell you that those few drops blocked off your own natural abilities. I could sense it the instant the summoning spell called to me. There was power in your blood. The kind of power that only comes from a mage.”

“Do you mean that I can…” Samuel paused, swallowing down something in his throat. “I can do _magic_?”

Loki carefully observed his face while nodding. “Indeed. Judging by the power I felt inside of you when I cleared away the demonic taint, I would say you’ll grow to have quite a lot of power.”

Though Loki hadn’t quite expected bouncing excitement, he’d figured that Samuel might be somewhat happy about this news. Humans had always been a bit excited about the idea of magic. However, he hadn’t taken into account the fact that Samuel hadn’t grown up as a simple human. He’d grown up as a _hunter_. And few hunters carried any tolerance for anything that was not human.

The look of devastation that crossed Samuel’s face would’ve been enough to crack the most hardened of hearts. “Do you… do you think Dad knew?” he whispered achingly, eyes everywhere but on Loki. A shudder shook his small frame, and he drew his arms down to his body as if to try and hold himself together. “Is that why he, why he tried to get you to fix me?”

So far Loki had been quite restrained when it came to this poor child. He’d held back from the parental urges that demanded he embrace him and soothe him and try to make everything better. But this? This was beyond Loki’s control to ignore. There was no way he could keep his seat after such a painful confession.

In an instant, Loki was up out of his seat and coming around the table. Samuel flinched, _hard_ , when Loki got to him, yet he didn’t try and pull away. It made it easy for Loki to reach down and actually pick him up, drawing the child in against him in a reassuring hug. “Oh, little one.” With one arm under him and the other up to cradle the back of his head, Loki held Samuel close and swayed from side to side as he would with any of his own children. “There is nothing wrong with you. I do not care what that pathetic little human ever tried to tell you. There is nothing about you that needs to be fixed.”

Though most of Samuel’s body was stiff, like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself, he had his face tucked in against Loki’s neck in a small gesture that spoke of just how desperately he wanted to lean here. How much he wanted to accept the comfort being offered. He wanted it, he was just too afraid to trust it.

Odin and Frigga both could’ve called on him at that moment, and Loki wouldn’t have moved. He would not turn away from a child in such desperate need of affection.

It took a long moment, but just as Loki prepared to set Samuel down, he felt the boy melt against him. Too-slender arms came up to hug Loki in turn.

The mage’s heart melted further at that little gesture of trust.

He kept Samuel close to him. Despite the fact that the boy was older – though small for his size – he was as light as a babe to the Asgardian. Loki kept him in the hug even as he started to speak again; his voice just a soft murmur. “I know that life has treated you hard, little one, and I would take that all away from you were I able. But if I cannot keep you with me, I can do the next best thing. I found you a home where you will be cared for. Where you will be _loved_. He has no care of your powers. Indeed, he seems fascinated by the idea.”

“I don’t want you to go,” Samuel whispered against Loki’s skin. The words were spoke softly as if he were imparting some shameful secret.

Loki closed his eyes. “My sweet little one.” Following instinct, the mage pressed a kiss to Sam’s hair. “Would that I could stay with you.” He smoothed a hand down Samuel’s hair and then used that hand to reach in and tug at his chin, pulling him up so that he’d be able to see Loki’s face with these next words, and read just how honest he was being. Only when their eyes were locked did Loki speak again. “Do not think that this means you will not see me. I swore to you I would not abandon you. You are mine, Samuel Winchester. I will be back to check on you, and to start your mage training. You shall not be rid of me so easily, I’m afraid.”

Cautious hope flickered to life in the back of Samuel’s eyes. Whatever it was that had inspired him to trust Loki, it seemed that he had given that trust quite strongly, and his faith as well. Loki suspected it was due in part to the bond made by the spell, and by the touch of their seidr together. But he also thought it might just be an innate part of this boy. A piece of his innocence that had somehow managed to survive.

Loki pulled him in close once more. The rest of the story could wait just a moment longer. He could let Samuel have this. He could let the _both_ of them have it.

* * *

It was only thirty minutes later that the two of them arrived in the middle of Stark’s living room. The joy Samuel got out of their travel gave Loki hope that perhaps the boy would be a bit more eager about his own seidr. But any pleasure that Samuel had felt vanished as his brain caught up to where they were and what was going on. When JARVIS greeted them – “Welcome back, Prince Odinson. And welcome to you, young Master Winchester” – Samuel actually leaned in against Loki’s side before abruptly stiffening and straightening himself back up. It would seem their moment together was quite done. Either Samuel was putting his walls back up, or the idea of someone else seeing was holding him back.

None of it kept Samuel from looking around the room, though. He took in everything from behind the screen of his hair. There was a hint of childlike wonder as his eyes ran over everything. When had the child ever seen or stayed in a place of such comfort? Judging by what Loki had learned, he doubted Samuel had ever stayed anywhere nice before. Or in a _house_ , for that matter.

Loki felt Anthony making his way towards them. Because of that, he didn’t startle when the other man spoke up from off to their left. “You’re back.”

Samuel, however, didn’t know how to use his seidr for that purpose yet, and he had been too caught up in staring all around him to really register what his human senses might’ve picked up on. The sound of Anthony’s voice was enough to have him jumping and his whole body slipping down into a defensive crouch. His actions and posture screamed of one not reaching for a gun, but a knife. Even the way he held his arms was a pose that Loki knew quite well.

Knives had always been a preference of his.

Anthony must’ve recognized the pose somewhat as well, because he stopped halfway into the room and held his hands up, palms facing towards them in a gesture of peace. “Woah there, kiddo. Cool your jets. It’s just me – the dude who owns this place.”

Color flooded Sam’s cheeks. Instantly he dropped his hands down and straightened up, while also ducking his head and curling his shoulders in. Every inch of his body language was defensive now. Just, in a far different way than his battle-ready one had been. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize you were there.”

“Ugh.” Anthony dropped his hands down and fixed Samuel with a curious, slightly sad look that showed nowhere in his gently mocking tone. “That’s the first thing that’s gonna have to go. The only people who get away with calling me ‘sir’ work for me, and you’re not an employee, kiddo.”

His reaction clearly wasn’t what Samuel had been expecting. The boy was still, and Loki could feel the tension in Samuel’s seidr that showed all his body language did not. He was looking through Anthony’s words, trying to make sense of them, to understand the layers and loopholes that might be found within. It was something that Loki did all the time. He never trusted anyone at their word; there was always more to things that people never truly said. How had such a small boy come to learn that same lesson already?

To give Samuel time to come to terms with his thoughts, and to draw the attention off of him, Loki took a step forward and put his hand on Samuel’s shoulder. With his other hand, he brought a stack of papers from the small pocket dimension he stored things in. Then Loki held those papers out to Anthony. “I believe you’ll find these are completed, as requested.”

When Anthony and Loki had finally come to terms on things last night, and Samuel’s presence here was finally accepted, Anthony had bluntly told Loki that he couldn’t take a kid in without some sort of _adoption papers_. He’d explained what they were, and once Loki had left, he’d paid another visit to John Winchester. He had to admit, it’d been pleasing to watch the way the man paled, and to see how quickly he signed the papers Anthony had claimed were necessary.

According to Anthony, with these papers, there was no legal way that John Winchester would be able to take his son back. Samuel would legally be Anthony’s. That would provide him with quite a bit of protection in this realm.

Anthony didn’t reach out to take the papers from Loki, though he did gesture to the nearby bar. “Just put ‘em down up there, I’ll take a look in a minute.” Then his attention turned fully to Samuel. Ah, this was likely to be the other part of things that Anthony had requested. He wanted to meet with Samuel, to speak with him, without Loki’s interference.

Loki gave Samuel’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I believe Anthony wishes to speak with you, Samuel. To make sure I haven’t harmed you in any way.”

“Or kidnapped you, or anything like that,” Anthony amended. He shot Loki a dry look, which Loki easily returned as he stepped away from the two. The minute that Loki was away from Samuel, Anthony shifted almost directly between them, keeping them apart. His attention was focused solely on Samuel. “If he’s hurt you, or taken you away from your family, or anything like that, all you gotta do is say the word, kiddo. Hell, just _wink_. I don’t care. You let me know, and I’ll make damn sure I get you back home. I don’t care if he’s some super space mage or what. If he’s forcing you to do this, I’ll protect you.”

There was a moment where Samuel didn’t say anything. Loki had reached the bar, and he set the paperwork down on top of it. Just as he turned to watch them, slightly curious, he heard Samuel’s reply.

“If he really had kidnapped me, and you wanted to get me away from him, wouldn’t the smart thing to do be to wait until after he was gone to ask me about it?” Samuel sounded curious, and a bit sharp. Full of false bravado. It was like a skin he’d pulled on just for this conversation. One that just didn’t fit quite right.

However, it was enough to have Loki smirking and to have Anthony chuckling. “Maybe. But then he’d just get to run away, and I wouldn’t have a chance to stop him.”

“Do you really think you could?” Samuel countered. The way he said it made sure that Anthony knew that _he_ didn’t believe it.

Instead of being offended, Anthony laughed, and his body relaxed. He obviously read the same things in Samuel that Loki did. The boy wasn’t upset about being here, nor was he afraid of Loki. “Anyone ever tell you you’re a sassy little shit?” Anthony asked.

Samuel flinched only slightly, yet now that Anthony had leaned to the side again, no longer feeling the need to keep between them, Loki was able to see how Samuel lifted his chin as well. “Once or twice.”

“I kinda like it,” Anthony said. “I probably shouldn’t, but I do. I’ve always been a bit of a shit myself. Pep keeps telling me my mouth is gonna get me in trouble one of these days, an I won’t be able to buy my way out of it. Shows what she knows.”

The way that Samuel was watching Anthony made it clear he wasn’t sure what to make of him. At the same time, his seidr was relaxing a little. Less tense.

A familiar sensation pinged its way across Loki’s seidr. It drew his attention away from the two in front of him and had him focusing inwards briefly.

It was Frigga.

It was time to go home.

Loki sighed heavily. He used that touch with his mother to let her know that he would return shortly, and then closed it off again. Now was the time that Loki was looking forward to the least. The very last thing he wanted was to go home and leave Samuel here. The boy had grown on Loki so quickly, worming his way past the defenses that Loki kept up around adults, and making space inside the Asgardian’s heart. A feat very few could lay claim to. Yet, Loki had fully claimed Samuel in every way that mattered. Though this boy was not from his body, he was Loki’s now – by blood, by choice, and through their seidr. He was as much a child of Loki as any of the others that Loki had borne or sired. _And yet again, I must leave one of my own in the care of another_.

At least he had chosen well. Everything that Loki had learned about Anthony Stark this night, and witnessed just now between these two, said that Loki had made a good choice.

That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t watch, though, or be prepared.

When Loki went forward, Anthony must’ve sensed something because he moved to the side to allow Loki space. His face showed surprise when Loki went down to one knee in front of his child.

This was a moment that Loki normally wouldn’t have dared to show in front of anyone. Yet, he would not deny himself nor Samuel this moment, no matter who was watching. He would not simply leave him here without anything.

The way Samuel was watching made it clear he’d read something on Loki’s face. “You gotta go,” the boy said softly.

“Aye.” Loki reached one hand up to brush a bit of Samuel’s hair back from his face and tuck it behind his ear. “I will be back, though. I have given you my word, have I not?”

A person’s word only held so much weight. Especially when they were still so new to one another, and it had yet to be tested. Samuel had no way of knowing if Loki would return to him or not. In his eyes, those shadows rose once more, and his seidr rolled with the sensations of resignation and heartache that a child should never have to know or understand. “It’s okay,” Samuel tried to reassure him, putting on a brave face. “You’ve… you’ve probably got family and stuff back home, right? They need you.”

 _My sweet little warrior._ Loki gentled his smile into the one reserved solely for his children. “They do.” He would not lie about that. “But you are my family now as well, sweet one, and I will not abandon you. I will return as soon as I am able.”

“Magic training, right?” Samuel asked.

Loki nodded his head. “Indeed.” He reached out with his own seidr and let it brush against Samuel’s – adding protections and spells that would alert Loki to the slightest sign of trouble with his child. It also allowed Samuel to feel the warm affection that filled Loki. “I would return even without that, however. A being such as myself does not lay claim lightly, Samuel. No matter what happens…” Loki reached out and caught Samuel’s hand, turning it so that the inside of his wrist was exposed, showing the mark that Loki had laid there earlier. His symbol marked on the light skin. Loki made sure that Samuel saw it before he smiled at him. “You are mine, little one. Nothing will change that. Should you have need of me, focus on this and on your memory of me, and call to me. I will come.”

A little tremor ran down Samuel’s body. His eyes darted over to their silent watcher, back to Loki’s face, then down to his own wrist. Loki wasn’t quite sure what was going on behind those hazel eyes.

Then Samuel surprised him yet again by almost flinging himself forward. It was easy for Loki to shift, to catch the boy up and tug him in close for the contact he so dearly needed. Samuel clung as tight as he could, his little body trembling against Loki in that brief moment he allowed them to hug. It was short, though. After just a moment, he was pulling back, drawing himself together as he went. Bit by bit, the masks that his life had taught him were pulled on, layer upon layer laid over one another until the little boy was hidden inside.

There were no more words that either one of them needed to say. Loki smoothed Samuel’s hair from his face again and leaned in to press a kiss against his forehead.

Pulling back, Loki turned his head to look up at Anthony, and he made his expression hard and let his seidr flash in his eyes in open threat. “Take care of him.”

“With my life,” Anthony said.

With a final deep breath and one last look at the child who had taken his heart, Loki gave a nod. Then, he reached out with his seidr to the threads of the world around him, and he gave a tug.

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, let me be clear - this is not something I believe John would really do, nor do I really believe that the things I portray here with Sam actually happened to him in those early years (though they could have) This is just a big angsty mess, and Idk, I'm loving it :D


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